Drill press clamp



Dec. 30, 1958 R. wlLKEs DRILL PRESS CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 1, 1955 ...w.m i umh INVENTOR.

#Trelew/sys R. WILKES DRILL PRESS CLAMP Dec. 3o, 195s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1955 f .A :Ela-2.....;-

INVENToR. Pause/Y WIL/ 55 nited tats Patent Aiiice This invention relates to clamps for use in connection with drill presses and thel like.

More particularly, it

relates to a clamp adapted to be mounted on the drill A post, for ready adjustment from and toward the work table and whereby pieces of work of various kinds, sizes and shapes may be held secure while being drilled or otherwise worked on.

` .it is the principal object of this invention to provide a clamp of the character and for the purpose above stated, that is relatively simple in construction; that is easy to apply and adjust; that is adapted to secure pieces of work of various kinds, shapes and sizes against movement on the work table while being worked on, and

which is'relatively inexpensive.

It is a further object of the inventionto provide a clamp of the above stated kind that can'be adjusted and secured on the drill post at various levels above the work table as may be required to suit the general character of the object or piece to be worked on, and which has a readily adjustable clamping arm that is movable from and against the object or piece to be drilled or worked on without requiring any re-adjustment of the clamp on the drill post. l

Further objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts of the present device and its mode of use, as will hereinafter be fully described.

-In accomplishing these and other objects of the nvention, I have provided the improved details of coni struction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a drill press of present day typical form, equipped with a work holding clamp embodying the improvements of the present invention therein.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged perspective view of the outer end portion of the pivoted clamping arm, showing the work holding pads as engaged against a work holding plate of special design.V

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the work holding plate shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view ofthe present work holding clamp.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same taken on line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing work holding means of an alternative form applied to the clamp bracket.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken along the line 8-8 in Fig. 7.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

In Fig. l, I have shown, in part, a typical form of drill press, comprising a vertical post 10 which is fixed rigidly at its lower end in a base or table, not shown, for functional support. Fixedly mounted on the post is a work supporting table 11 and above this and iiXed on the post, is a bracket 12 which revolubly mounts a vertical drill shaft 13. At its lower end, the shaft 13 is equipped with a chuck 14 by which a drill bit 15 is mounted. The drill shaft 13 is adapted to be driven by an electric motor 16, secured to the bracket 12 at that side of the post 10 which is opposite the drill shaft; the driving connection between motor 16 and drill shaft '113, as here shown, comprising a belt 17 operating about a pulley wheel 18 on the motor shaft 16x and a similarpulley wheel, not herein shown,

mounted on the drill shaft in the usual way.

As is well understood by persons familiar with machines such as that described above, it is known that pieces or objects to be worked on are placed upon the work table 1.1 and properly secured. Generally their securement is effected by bolts anchored in or passed through slots in the work table 11.Y However, in the present instance, provision has been made for securing Vthe objects or pieces to be worked on by means of an improved form of clamp that is adjustably secured lto the post 16, as shown in Fig. 1. In this view, the clamp is designated in its entirety by reference character C. In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the clamp has been shown moreV in detail. It parts and its mode of use will now be described.

VIn its present preferred form of construction, the clamp C comprises a horizontally directed arm or bracket 20, formed at that end whichwill be designated as the inner end, with a semi-cylindrical seat 2i adapted to be fitted to one side of the post 10 as shown in Fig.' 1, and a complemental clamping plate 22, with semi-cylindrical seat 23; this plate being so applied to the post 10 as to receive the latter in the seat 23. The plate 22 is flanged at its opposite ends, and one of these iianges is bored, as at 24, to receive the clamp bolt 25 therethrough to secure that end of of the plate to the bracket. The iiange at the other end of the plate 22 is formed with a threaded hole 26, and a shouldered clamp bolt 27 is passed rotatably through the anged end 28 of the bracket 20 and threaded into hole 26'as shown in Fig. 6. The bolt 27 may be loosened or tightened by means of a hand wheel 29 at one end, as seen in Fig. 4, or in lieu of the hand wheel, it can be equipped with a crank arm 29C, as seen in Fig. 1. When the clamp is loosened, the bracket 20 is freed for upward or downward adjustment on post 10 and when tightened, the adjustment of the bracket is fixed.

The bracket 20, as well shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a horizontally extending plate 20x that is formed Valong opposite longitudinal edges with upstanding,

.spaced flanges 20f of the bracket, is a clamping arm 30; this being pivotally supported for limited rocking action in a vertical direction, on a` cross-shaft 31 that extends between the flanges at the outer end of the bracket 20. The outer end portion of the clamping arm extends somewhat beyond the outer end of the bracket and, as well shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it terminates in two arms 34-34 of the same length and symmetrically spaced at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the clamp arm.

Threaded vertically through the outer end portions of the two arms lt-34', are shafts .3S-35', and mounted on the lower ends of these are work holding pads 36 of the inverted cup-like form; these being mounted by suitable ball and socket means, as shown at 37 in Fig. 6, to provide for their automatic adjustment when applied against the work piece being clamped. At their upper ends, the shafts 35-35 are equipped Patented Dec. 30, 1958y with hand wheels 38 for their easy adjustment to engage or disengage the pads from the work. After adjustment, the shafts may be fixed by lock nuts 39 threaded thereon for tightening against the arms.

At its inner end, the clamp arm has a clamp bolt 40 threaded vertically therethrough and engaged at its lower end with the bracket arm plate 20x as shown in Fig. 5. At its upper end, this bolt is equipped with a hand wheel 42 for its easy and quick adjustment to effect rocking of the clamp arm on cross-shaft 31, to move the pads to or from clamping contact with a work piece, such as that designated at 45 in Fig. 5, placed on table 11.

In the use of the present device, the bracket C is irst adjusted on post 10 to a distance above table 11 that will best suit the size or character of objects to he worked on; the bracket being secured in xed adjustment by tightening the bolt 27. Then the work piece, such as that designated in dotted lines at in Fig. 1, is placed in po-sition on the table 11, and with clamp arm 20 extending thereover and secured in substantially a horizontal position, theholding clamp screws 35-35 are adjusted to engage the two pads 36 with the top of the work piece, for example, as has been shown in Fig. 1. Then, the screw bolt 40 is tightened down by means of hand wheel 42, against the bracket arm plate 20x and this rocks the clamp arm to press the pads tightly against the work piece to secure it while worked on by the drill, or by other tools.

When it is desired to remove the work piece so from the table, it is only necessary to slightly loosen the hand screw 40, allowing the holding pads 36-36 to raise slightly from the piece for its removal.

If the pieces to be worked on are relatively small, a plate such as that shown at in Figs. 2 and 3 can be employed as an aid in holding them. In the use of plate 60, the piece to be worked on, such as that designated at 61 in Fig. 2, is placed in position between the pads 315-36. Then the plate 60 is placed thereacross with its ends beneath the pads. Then the pads are adjusted and clamped down against the plate by tightening the hand screw 40. Release of the piece is effected by loosening the hand screw.

If it is so desired, the plate 60 can be equipped with spring clips, as at 63-63, to holdingly engage with oppo- .site side edges of the pads so that the plate will be lifted from the work piece with the loosening of the clamp, and held in proper position for engaging with the next work piece as placed on the table. It is to be observed that the plate is recessed, as at 65, for passage of the drill bit.

In lieu of plate 60, other plates of various shapes and sizes could be employed to meet conditions.

It will be readily understood that the bracket 20 is easily andreadily adjustable along the post 10 to meet requirements for operation on work pieces of different sizes, and that a certain range of adjustment is possible with the bracket in fixed position, by reason of the threaded shafts 35-35 and the adjusting screw 40.

In Figs. 7 and 8,. I'have illustrated another work piece holding means comprising ajpair of clamp .bars -70 that are applied in crossed relationship against the underside of bracket 20 to extend laterally and forwardly therefrom. Each of these bars is formed with a longitudinal slot 71 through which a securing bolt 72 is applied as shown in Fig. 8. The bolt 72 extends upwardly through a hole 73 in the plate 20x and is threaded into a shank 74 of a hand wheel 75. The shank extends freely through a hole 76 in the arm 30 and engages against the plate 20x. Thus, by tightening the hand Wheel, the bars may be held in any set position of adjustment.

At their outer ends, these bars have down turned or downwardly projecting toes 78 to engage and hold work pieces. It will be understood that, with the hand wheel loosened, the bars may be extended, or retracted, and set in any desired angular relationship to best suit the work at hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new ytherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a drill press including a vertical standard and a horizontal work holding table xed relative thereto, of a work holding clamp cornprising a horizontal bracket equipped at its inner end for mounting it for rotary and vertical adjustment on the standard, above said table, and having means at its outer end for securing it at any of its different positions of its adjustment, a clamping arm extended along and beyond said bracket and pivoted thereon between its ends for rocking in a vertical plane, said clamping arm having a pair of forwardly directed and laterally spaced extension portions at its outer end, work holding screws threaded vertically through said extension portions, pads mounted on the lower ends of said screws, a work holding plate formed with a recessed medial portion and with at surfaced portions at opposite sides thereof against which said pads are engaged, clips applied to the plate to holdingly engage with said pads; said work holding screws being individually adjustable to definite positions, to position said work holding plate for clamping against a piece of work as placed on said table beneath the arm, a single clamp screw threaded downwardly through the arm at its inner end and adapted to engage the bracket to rock the outer end of said arm downwardly to effect clamping action by the work engaging plate.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pads have ball and socket mountings on their mounting screws, and have at under surfaces engaged with said work holding plate, and wherein said clips engage the pads at opposite sides with yielding pressure to effect the lifting of the plate from the work piece, with the upward adjustment of the outer end of said arm.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 321,728 Jamieson July 7, 1885 822,775 Schnurr June 5, 1906 1,272,108 Robb et al. July 9, 1918 1,590,643 Neuwelt June 29, 1926 2,430,900 Wetzler Nov. 18, 1947 

